I must say my inspiration for this fic was a pic I saw on the net once. I'll provide a link once you find out who the two are. (Well, it should be obvious after the first two paragraphs. Kinda o.O) Hope you people like this! Originally it was going to be a one-shot, but I figured, what the heck, why not make it longer?

Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi and all its characters belong to Yuu Watase. If only, if only... :P

Weathering the Flames

Chapter One

The first time he had seen her, he had been struck dumb by her eyes. Ice blue they were, and beautiful, too. He hadn't noticed her long, flowing magenta hair or the way her throaty, yet mellow voice sounded. The way she walked, no, glided across the ground, almost dancing. Her grace and charm had been something out of the ordinary, beyond anything he had ever experienced with his mother or sisters. He breathed in. He could almost smell the sweet scent of wildflowers. Her scent.

"Hey, what are you doin'?" Kouji called.

He looked up and saw his friend striding toward him. "Yo, Kouji! I'm juss doin' some thinkin'. Isn't a guy allowed to do that sometimes?"

Kouji gave him an amused look. Then he shook his head. "Genrou, Genrou, Genrou... you're getting a big head. Since when did you have enough brain cells to think?"

Genrou jumped up and tackled the blue-haired eighteen-year old. "Take that back!" he laughed.

Kouji got up and gave him a look. Then he jumped on top of Genrou and the two began rolling on the ground, each trying to get the best of the other.

The two of them heard footsteps, but continued fighting.

Suddenly, they were each whacked on the head. "Genrou, Kouji! Just what are the two of you doing? Aren't you supposed to be scouting the area and preparing to go to town?"

Genrou and Kouji rubbed their heads and looked at their master sheepishly. "Sorry, Master. We're just havin' some fun." Genrou pulled Kouji up. "C'mon, les go to town now."

The older man smiled as he watched the two teenagers leave. "Boys these days..." He laughed to himself and headed back up the mountain.

Genrou was silent as he and Kouji headed down the mountain path. Kouji looked at his friend curiously, but didn't say anything either.

Genrou blew out and Kouji looked at him quizzically. "Genrou, what is wrong with you? You've been this way since the last time you came back from town!"

"Ah... it's nothin'. It's just... I dunno. I've just been feelin' kinda weird lately..." Genrou sighed and kicked a stone, watching it roll across the ground. Then he sighed. What could he do about the situation?

"Ey..." Kouji poked his friend. "Genrou, does it have anything to do with that girl we met last time?"

Genrou glanced at Kouji. "Maybe, maybe not," he said coyly.

Kouji slapped his hand against his head. "Forget I asked..."

Genrou gave him a small smile and continued down the road.

Kouji shook his head and plopped down on a nearby rock. "Genrou, you go ahead. I'm gonna sit down and rest a bit."

Genrou shrugged and began whistling.

"The boy's gone off his rocker," Kouji mused to himself.

.......

The next chapter will be longer, I promise! Please review and let me know what you think.